GENERAL ST AFT CORPS 



Laws, Regulations, Orders, 
and Memoranda. January, 1912 • 




M 



GENERAL STAFF CORPS 



LAWS, REGULATIONS 
ORDERS, and MEMORANDA 

RELATING TO THE ORGANIZATION AND 
DUTIES OF THE GENERAL. STAFF CORPS 



OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF STAFF 



JANUARY, 1912 




WASHINGTON 
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1912 



GENERAL STAFF CORPS 



LAWS, REGULATIONS 
ORDERS, and MEMORANDA 

RELATING TO THE ORGANIZATION AND 
DUTIES OF THE GENERAL STAFF CORPS 



OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF STAFF 

JANUARY, 1912 




WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1912 






Wak Department, 
Office of the Chief of Staff, 

Washington, January 1, 1912. 
This memorandum, covering the laws, regulations, and orders respecting the 
General Staff Corps, is furnished to officers of the corps for their information 
and guidance. 

Leonard Wood, 
Major General, Chief of Staff. 






BRIEF OUTLINE OF EVENTS LEADING TO THE PAS- 
SAGE OF THE GENERAL STAFF ACT; 

AND COMPILATION OF PRINCIPAL REGULATIONS. ORDERS AND MEMORANDA 

RELATIVE TO THE ORGANIZATION OF THE GENERAL STAFF CORPS AND THE 

DISTRIBUTION OF ITS VARIOUS DUTIES AMONG THE SEVERAL DIVISIONS 

THEREOF WHICH HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED FROM TIME TO TIME. 



THE ARMY WAR COLLEGE. 

The first step taken which finally led to the establishment of the 
General Staff Corps was the proposition contained in the Annual 
Report of the Secretary of War (Mr. Root) for 1899 for the estab- 
lishment of an Army War College* This was followed by the issue 
of the following order: 

Special Order ) Headquarters of the Army, 

No. 42. J Adjutant General's Office, 

Washington, February 19, 1900. 
******* 

31. By direction of the Secretary of War, a board of officers to 
consist of Brig. Gen. William Ludlow, United States Army; Col. 
Henry C. Hasbrouck, Seventh United States Artillery; Lieut. Col. 
William H. Carter, Assistant Adjustant General, United States Army, 
is appointed to meet at the War Department, in this city, on Monday, 
February 26, 1900, at 10 o'clock a. m., for the purpose of considering 
regulations with a view to the establishment of a War College for 
the Army. The travel enjoined is necessary for the public service. 

By command of Major General Miles: 

H. C. Corbin, 

Adjutant General. 

Lieut. Col. Jos. P. Sanger, Inspector General, was subsequently 
detailed as a member of the board. 

The first legislative action relating to the Army War College is 
contained in the Army appropriation act of May 26, 1900, as follows : 

For hire of clerks, purchase of stationery, furniture, and for contingent ex- 
penses incident to the establishment of the Army War College, having for its 
object the direction and coordination of the instruction in the various service 
schools, extension of the opportunities for investigation and study in the 
Army and militia of the United States, and the collection and dissemination of 
military information, twenty thousand dollars. 

This appropriation was allowed to lapse as the organization of the 
college had not been completed. Since that time, however, an annual 
appropriation has been made for the contingent expenses of the col- 
lege, the same being disbursed by the secretary thereof, in accordance 
with the following order: 

General Orders, \ War Department, 

No. 195. J Washington, December 27, 190£. 

The secretary of the Army War College is authorized to make pur- 
chases and sign contracts on behalf of the Army War College from 

(3) 



all funds appropriated under the act of Congress approved April 
23, 1904, making appropriation for the support of the Army for the 
fiscal year ending June 30, 1905, and for all subsequent appropria- 
tions of funds for the Army War College. All purchases and con- 
tracts pertaining to the appropriation for support of the Army War 
College for the fiscal year 1905, made by the secretary of the Army 
War College prior to the issuance of this order, are hereby approved 
and confirmed. 

By order of the Secretary of War: 

Adna R. Chaffee, 
Lieutanent General, Chief of Staff. 

The Army War College was formerly established by paragraph 7, 
General Orders 155, November 27, 1901. This order provided for the 
executive head of the college to be an officer not below the grade of 
field officer and for a War College Board to prepare regulations for 
the government of the college, etc. 

The War College Board was detailed July 1, 1902 (General Order 
No. 64), and consisted of Maj. Gen. Young, Brig. Gens. Carter and 
Bliss, Maj. H. A. Greene, Asst. Adjt. Gen. and Maj. Wm. D. Beach, 
Tenth Cavalry; also the following ex officio members: Gen. Geo. L. 
Gillespie, Chief of Engineers; Gen. J. Franklin Bell, commandant 
of the General Service and Staff College; Col. W. F. Randolph, Chief 
of Artillery; and Col. A. L. Mills, Superintendent of the Military 
Academy. 

The War College Board was dissolved by the following order: 

General Orders, 1 War Department, 

No. 2. Washington, August 15, 1903. 

******* 

The War College Board appointed by paragraph 2 of General 
Orders, No. 64, Adjutant General's Office, 1902, is hereby dissolved, 
and hereafter the duties assigned to said board by paragraph 4 of 
General Orders, No. 155, Adjutant General's Office, 1901, will be 
performed by such section of the War Department General Staff as 
may be designated for the purpose by the Chief of Staff. 

******* 

By order of the Secretary of War: 

S. B. M. Young, 

Lieutenant General, Chief of Staff. 

That part of General Orders, No. 115, War Department, 1904, 
which outlines the general character of work to be performed by the 
permanent personnel and students on duty at the War College was 
revoked by the following order: 

General Orders, 1 War Department, 

No. 116. j Washington, May 28, 1907. 

1. Paragraphs 240 to 245, both inclusive, of General Orders, No. 
115, June 27, 1904, War Department, are revoked. 

2. The organization and work of the Army War College will here- 
after be regulated by the following provisions: 

3. The purpose of the War College is to make a practical applica- 
tion of knowledge already acquired, not to impart academic in- 
struction. 



4. The objects of the War College are— 

(a) The direction and coordination of military education in the 
Army and in civil schools and colleges at which officers of the Army 
are detailed under acts of Congress and the extension of opportunities 
for investigation and study in the militia of the United States. 

(b) To provide facilities for and to promote advanced study of 
military subjects and to formulate the opinions of the college body 
on the subjects studied for the information of the Chief of Staff. 

5. The personnel of the Army War College shall be in part perma- 
nent and in part temporary. 

6. The permanent personnel shall consist of a president, to be 
assigned to that duty by the Secretary of War, and the officers for 
the time being of the third division, War Department General Staff. 
The chief and one other member of the division shall be directors of 
the college. The secretary of the college shall also be selected from 
the permanent personnel. The directors and secretary shall be desig- 
nated in orders. 

7. The temporary personnel of the Army War College shall consist 
of such officers, not below the grade of captain, as may be detailed to 
that duty by the War Department. 

8. The tour of duty of the officers of the temporary personnel shall 
be for a period not exceeding 12 months, beginning on November 1 
of each year. 

9. The interior economy of the War College shall be regulated by 
the president and directors, subject to the approval of the Chief of 
Staff. 

By order of the Secretary of War : 

William P. Duvall, 
Brigadier General, Acting Chief of Staff. 

On June 24, 1908, General Orders, No. 116, 1907, was amended as 
follows : 

General Orders, 1 War Department, 

No. 104. J Washington, June &£, 1908. 

$ $ * . $ * * * 

Paragraph 6, General Orders, No. 116, May 28, 1907, War Depart- 
ment, relating to the Army War College, is rescinded and the follow- 
ing substituted therefor: 

6. The permanent personnel shall consist of a president, to be 
assigned to that duty by the Secretary of War, and the officers for the 
time being of the second section, War Department General Staff. 
Two directors and a secretary of the college shall be selected from the 
permanent personnel of the section. 

By order of the Secretary of War : 

William P. Duvall, 
Major General, Acting Chief of Staff. 

GENERAL STAFE CORPS. 

The Secretary of War (Mr. Root) in his annual report for 1901 
stated that the creation of the War College Board is probably as near 
an approach to the establishment of a General Staff as is practicable 
under existing law, but that the amount of work which that board ought 



6 

to do leads to the conclusion that it can not adequately perform all the 
duties of a General Staff, and that the whole subject should be treated 
by Congress in a broader way, and to that end he strongly urged the 
establishment by law of a General Staff, of which the War College 
shall form a part. This recommendation was further elaborated in 
the Secretary's report for 1902, in which, after going very fully into 
the subject, he suggested that in creating a General Staff the desig- 
nation of the officer called the " Commanding General of the Army " 
should be changed to " Chief of Staff," and that the latter's powers 
be enlarged by giving him the immediate direction of the supply 
departments, etc. The recommendations made by the Secretary of 
War in these reports and subsequently in the hearings had before 
the Committees on Military Affairs of the Senate and House of 
Representatives in 1902 resulted in the passage of the act of February 
14, 1903, creating a General Staff Corps, published in the following 
general order: 

General Orders, | Headquarters of the Armf, 

| Adjutant General's Office, 

No. 15. ■ Washington, February 18, 1903. 

The following act of Congress is published for the information 
and goverment of all concerned : 

AN ACT To increase the efficiency of the Army. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
Hi ate* of America in Congress assembled, That there is hereby established a 
General Staff Corps, to be composed of officers detailed from the Army at large, 
under such rules as may be prescribed by the President. 

Sec. 2. That the duties of the General Staff Corps shall be to prepare plans 
for the national defense and for the mobilization of the military forces in time 
of war; to investigate and report upon all questions affecting the efficiency of 
the Army and its state of preparation for military operations ; to render pro- 
fessional aid and assistance to the Secretary of War and to general officers and 
other superior commanders, and to act as their agents in informing and coordi- 
nating the action of all the different officers who are subject under the terms of 
this act to the supervision of the Chief of Staff; and to perform such other 
military duties not otherwise assigned by law as may be from time to time 
prescribed by the President. 

Sec. 3. That the General Staff Corps shall consist of one Chief of Staff and 
two general officers, all to be detailed by the President from officers of the Army 
at large not below the grade of brigadier general ; four colonels, six lieutenant 
colonels, and twelve majors, to be detailed from the corresponding grades in the 
Army at large, under such rules for selection as the President may prescribe ; 
twenty captains, to be detailed from officers of the Army at large of the grades 
of captain or first lieutenant, who while so serving shall have the rank, pay, 
and allowances of captain mounted. All officers detailed in the General Staff 
Corps shall be detailed therein for periods of four years, unless sooner relieved. 
While serving in the General Staff Corps, officers may be temporarily assigned 
to duty with any branch of the Army. Upon being relieved from duty in the 
General Staff Corps, officers shall return to the branch of the Army in which 
they hold permanent commission, and no officer shall be eligible to a further 
detail in the General Staff Corps until he shall have served two years with the 
branch of the Army in which commissioned, except in case of emergency or in 
time of war. 

Sec 4. That the Chief of Staff, under the direction of the President or of the 
Secretary of War, under the direction of the President, shall have supervision 
of all troops of the line and of the Adjutant General's Inspector General's, 
Judge Advocate's. Quartermaster's, Subsistence. Medical, Pay, and Ordnance 
Departments, the Corps of Engineers, and the Signal Corps, and shall perform 
such other military duties not otherwise assigned by law as may be assigned to 
him by the President. Duties now prescribed by statute for the Commanding 
General of the Army as a member of the Board of Ordnance and Fortification 



and of the Board of Commissioners of the Soldiers' Home shall be performed by 
the Chief of Staff or other officer designated by the President. Acts and parts 
of acts authorizing aids-de-camp and military secretaries shall not apply to 
general officers of the General Staff Corps. 

Sec. 5. That the Chief of Artillery shall hereafter serve as an additional 
member of the General Staff and by and with the advice and consent of the 
Senate shall have the rank, pay, and allowances of brigadier general and when 
the next vacancy occurs in the office of brigadier general of the line, it shall not 
be filled, and thereafter the number of brigadier generals of the line, exclusive 
of the Chief of Artillery, shall not exceed fourteen ; and the provisions of the 
foregoing sections of this act shall take effect August fifteenth, nineteen hundred 
and three. 

Approved, February 14, 1903. 

By command of Lieut. Gen. Miles: 

H. C CORBIN, 

Adjutant General, Major General, United States Army. 

Section 5 of the above act was by act of January 26, 1907, amended 
as follows: 

General Orders, 1 War Department, 

No. 24. Washington, February 2, 1907. 

The following act of the Congress is published to the Army for the 
information and guidance of all concerned : 

AN ACT To reorganize and to increase the efficiency of the Artillery of the United States 

Army. 

***** * * 

Sec. 2. That the Chief of Artillery or Chief of Coast Artillery shall be an 
additional member of the General Staff Corps, and his other duties shall be 
prescribed by the Secretary of War. 



THE WAR COLLEGE DIVISION. 1 

This division had its birth in 1885, when by administrative action 
the " Division of Military Information " was established in the Adju- 
tant General's Office. It was reorganized as a separate division in 
1889, and on March 18, 1892, orders of the Secretary of War were 
published (General Order 23) further prescribing its duties, of which 
the following are still in force : 

(a) The collection and classification of military information of 
our own and foreign countries, especially with respect to armed, re- 
served, and available strength, natural and artificial means of com- 
munication (rivers, canals, highways, and railroads) ; the manufac- 
ture of arms, ammunition, and other war material; supplies of food, 
horses, draft animals, etc. 

(b) The preparation of instructions for the guidance of officers of 
the Army serving or traveling abroad, or acting as military attaches, 
and the arrangement and digest of information 'contained in their 
reports. 

(c) The issuance to the Army of military maps, monographs, books, 
papers, and other publications, and the dissemination of valuable 
information on military subjects throughout all branches of the 
service. 

1 Formerly second section. 



8 

The Division of Military Information will also have charge of a 
museum to be established for the proper care and preservation of 
such military relics as are now in the several bureaus of the War De- 
partment, or as may hereafter be obtained. 

On January 27, 1894, the Secretary of War issued the following 
circular: 

Circular 1 War Department, 

No. 1. J Washington, January 27, 189 L£. 

Circular of April 19, 1889, is amended to read as follows: 

Upon the receipt at the War Department of reports, maps, plans, 
etc., from military attaches at United States embassies and legations 
in foreign countries, they will be sent, without formal entry, to the 
Military Information Division of the Adjutant General's Office, 
where the necessary notation will be made and registered. 

The reports will then be filed in the Military Information Division 
for preservation and future reference. Inclosures accompanying the 
reports may, at the discretion of the Adjutant General, be turned 
over to any bureau of the War Department to which they particularly 
relate. 

Chiefs of bureaus are invited to furnish the Military Information 
Division, from time to time, with lists of inquiries they may desire 
to have submitted to the military attaches for investigation and 
report. 

Daniel S. Lamont, 

Secretary of War. 

By Special Order No. 210, Headquarters Division of the Philip- 
pines, Manila, P. I., December 13, 1900, a " Division of Military In- 
formation " was established in the adjutant general's office in Manila, 
and by direction of the Secretary of War was on June 18, 1902, 
annexed to and made a part of the Military Information Division 
of the Adjutant General's Office in the War Department, Washing- 
ton, by operation of the following instructions : 

War Department, 
Adjutant General's Office, 

Washington, June 18, 1902. 
The Commanding General, 

Division of the Philippines, Manila, P. I. 
Sir: I have the honor to communicate the following instructions 
of the Secretary of War: 

With a view to increasing the facilities and rendering its opera- 
tions broader and more effective, the Division of Military Informa- 
tion now existing in the office of the adjutant general, Headquarters 
Division of the Philippines, is, for the purposes hereinafter set forth, 
annexed to and made a part of the Military Information Division, 
Adjutant General's Office, War Department, and will hereafter be 
regarded as a branch of that division. 

The present organization and official status of the branch office 
will remain the same as heretofore in the adjutant general's office, 
Division of the Philippines, and for all administrative and purely 
local purposes will be under the direct control of the commanding 
general, Division of the Philippines. 



9 

In addition to its regular work, as heretofore prescribed, of supply- 
ing information to the troops in the Philippine Islands, the branch 
office will promptly forward to the Military Information Division 
the originals, or. if that is not practicable, certified copies of all data, 
both cartographical and statistical, of a general character which it 
has on file or may hereafter receive and which may be considered of 
interest and value to the War Department, as well as the reports of 
all intelligence officers under its jurisdiction. 

In order that the department may at all times be advised of the 
status of its work, the branch office will also forward a monthly 
summary of its operations. 

In addition to the foregoing, the branch office will perform such 
other and special duties under the general supervision of the com- 
manding general, Division of the Philippines, as may be assigned to 
it from time to time by the War Department. 

The Military Information Division will furnish the branch office 
from time to time such information as may be deemed of special 
value to its files and to the troops serving in the Philippine Islands, 
and also such financial assistance as may be practicable for its equip- 
ment and maintenance. 

Quarterly returns (in duplicate) of all expenditures made from 
the funds herein authorized will, under such regulations as may be 
prescribed, be forwarded within 20 days after the end of the quarter 
to the officer in charge of the Military Information Division for 
approval and transmission to the Auditor of the Treasury for the 
War Department. 

For purposes of convenience and dispatch, and on account of the 
confidential character of much of the information, all communication 
between the Military Information Division and its branch office will 
be direct, and will be noted and filed in them onty; copies of such 
information as may relate or be of interest to other offices being 
promptly furnished to the offices to which it pertains. 
Very respectfully, 

H. C. CORBIN, 

Adjutant General, Major General, United States Army. 

The Military Information Division was transferred to the Office 
of the Chief of Staff by the following order; 

War Department, 

Washington, August 6, 1903. 
Orders : 

The Military Information Division of the Adjutant General's 
Office, together with the records, files, and property, and the persons 
now employed therein, are hereby transferred to the Office of the 
Chief of Staff, to take effect August 15, 1903. 

Elihu Koot, 

Secretary of War. 
military attaches. 

Circular 1 War Department, 

No. 6. J Washington, September 4, 1903. 

With a view to extending the usefulness of our military attaches 
abroad, the chiefs of bureaus and offices of the War Department and 
individual officers of the Army at Large will furnish the Second 
26466°— 12 2 



10 

(Military Information) Division of the General Staff, from time to 
time, memoranda of such data respecting foreign armies as they de- 
sire, in order that the attaches may be directed to investigate and 
report upon the same. 

In order to fix responsibility for improper or duplicate distribution 
of official matter to foreign attaches; to place the exchange of mili- 
tary information with foreign war offices or their representatives ac- 
credited to this capital upon a systematic basis, and to keep an accu- 
rate record with a view to ascertaining from time to time if reciproc- 
ity is maintained, all official or semiofficial information either verbal, 
written, or printed, will be received from or communicated to such 
offices or officials by or through the chief of the Second (Military 
Information) Division of the General Staff. 

The bureaus, offices, and officials of the War Department will co- 
operate in furnishing the Military Information Division such non- 
confidential information as may be required for the proper accom- 
plishment of this purpose. 

These regulations will not apply to the officers detailed to escort 
foreign attaches during their attendance at our maneuvers in so far 
as relates to the personnel and materiel of the forces engaged. 

Upon the receipt of information of special interest to any particu- 
lar bureau or office the Military Information Division will promptly 
furnish extracts or copies or refer the same to the office concerned. 

When technical information of special interest or value is received 
in any of the bureaus or offices of the department which has not 
passed through the Military Information Division the same will be 
forwarded to that division for record in order that requests may not 
be made on foreign Governments for data already in the possession of 
the War Department. 

By order of the Secretary of War : 

W. H. Carter, 
Brigadier General, Acting Chief of Staff. 

WAR DEPARTMENT LIBRARY. 

On March 28, 1904, the supervision of the War Department 
Library and the distribution of public documents pertaining to the 
War Department, under the provisions of section 2 of the act of 
Congress, approved January 12, 1895, were transferred from the 
Chief Signal Officer of the Army to the Chief of the Second (Mili- 
tary Information) Division by the following circular : 

Circular \ War Department, 

No. 12. J Washington, March 31, 190J h 

The following is published to the Army and the Organized Militia 
for the information and guidance of all concerned: 

War Department, 
Washington, March 2<S, 190'/. 
The supervision of the War Department Library having been assigned to the 
General Staff, the Chief of the Second (Military Information) Division thereof 
is hereby designated to relieve the Chief Signal Officer of the Army of that 
duty, and also of the distribution of public documents pertaining to the War 
Department under the provisions of section 2, act of January 12, 1895, and in 
accordance with instructions contained in War Department circulars of March 



11 

20, 1S95, and February 14, 1902, War Department orders of January 5, 1903, 
and such other instructions, verbal or written, as from time to time may have 
been issued by the Department. 

Wm. H. Taft, 

Secretary of War. 

All requisitions and requests for publications or documents or sup- 
plies, and all reports and returns for such property, that under 
existing law and regulations are now made to the Chief Signal Offi- 
cer of the Army, or to "Brig. Gen. A. W. Greely, Chief Signal 
Officer, in supervisory charge of the War Department Library," and 
of the distribution of War Department documents, will in future be 
made to the Chief of the Second Division, General Staff. 

By order of the Secretary of War : 

Adna R. Chaffee, 
Lieutenant General, Chief of Staff. 

map files. 
General Orders, 1 War Department, 

No. 2. J Washington, January 7, 1909. 

The second section, 1 War Department General Staff, having been 
charged with the supervision of a system of war maps, American and 
foreign, all division, department, brigade, post, and company com- 
manders, commandants of service schools, chiefs of bureaus of the 
War Department, and officers of the Army under whose orders maps 
are made, will forward directly to The Adjutant General of the, 
Army, who will transmit them to the second section, War Depart- 
ment General Staff, Army War College, copies of all geographical, 
topographical, tactical, strategical, maneuver, and confidential maps, 
plans, tracings, blue prints, sketches, etc., of domestic or foreign ter- 
ritory, containing information of military interest, that are in their 
possession and have not heretofore been furnished, or that they may 
hereafter receive, in order that the map files of the second section 
may be made complete and kept up to date for study and use by the 
authorities of the War Department in the compilation and prepara- 
tion of various problems, plans, and maps, and for immediate refer- 
ence in cases of emergency. 

If copies are not available, the originals will be sent by registered 
mail as directed above for notation and return. 

The plans showing the details of construction of United States 
fortifications and the working plans of the Ordnance, Quartermas- 
ter's and other staff departments are excepted from the provisions 
of this order. 

* * * * * * * 

By order of the Secretary of War: 

J. Franklin Bell, 
Major General, Chief of Staff. 

DIVISION OF MILITIA. 

War Department, 

Washington, September 3, 1908. 
Orders : 

The following regulations are prescribed to govern the official 
correspondence of the Division of Militia Affairs with the Chief of 

1 Now The War College Division. 



12 

Staff and chiefs of bureaus and departments of the War Department 
and with the military authorities of the States, Territories, and the 
District of Columbia : 

1. All original communications emanating from the office of the 
Division of Militia Affairs shall set forth that they are sent by direc- 
tion or order of the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of War. 

2. Communications addressed to governors of States or Territories 
will be prepared for the signature of the Secretary or Assistant Sec- 
retary of War; those addressed to adjutants general of States, Ter- 
ritories, or District of Columbia will be signed by the Chief of the 
Division of Militia Affairs. 

3. Communications of a routine nature which require that they be 
submitted to the Chief of Staff, for his information only, will be 
simply checked to the latter over the initials of the Chief of the 
Division of Militia Affairs. 

4. Information concerning militia affairs which has a bearing upon 
the employment or military status of the personnel of the regular 
establishment will be conveyed to the Chief of Staff by indorsement 
or in the form of a memorandum. If such indorsement or memoran- 
dum involves an expressed desire or direction of the Assistant Sec- 
retary of War for action by the Chief of Staff, it will be signed by 
the Assistant Secretary of War; if it merely transmits information 
involving no action, it will be signed by the Chief of the Division 
of Militia Affairs. In case the indorsement or memorandum involves 
the issuing of orders or instructions to officers or enlisted men of the 
regular establishment, an accompanying memorandum for The Adju- 
tant General, prepared for the signature of the Chief of Staff, will 
be inclosed ; this inclosure will be initialed by the Chief of the Divi- 
sion of Militia Affairs. 

5. The Chief of Staff will furnish the Chief of the Division of 
Militia Affairs with a copy of any report approved by him which is 
made by any section or officer of the General Staff that has a bearing 
on militia affairs. 

6. The Chief of the Division of Militia Affairs is authorized to 
communicate directly with the heads of the supply or other depart- 
ments of the War Department in reference to all matters pertaining 
exclusively to the Organized Militia in regard to supplies, instruc- 
tion, drill, and general military efficiency. 

Robert Shaw Oliver, 

Acting Secretary of War. 

The Acting Secretary of War on July 25, 1910 (General Order 
141), directed that under the provisions of paragraph 775, Army 
Regulations 1910, the Chief of the Division of Militia Affairs will 
report to the Chief of Staff. 

The act of Congress of March 3, 1911, published in General Orders 
45, War Department, 1911, provides, page 2, under " Office of the 
Chief of Staff": 

* * * That hereafter the Chief of the Division of Militia Affairs, Office of 
the Chief of Staff, shall be detailed from the general officers of the line of the 
Army, and while so sei-ving shall be an additional member of the General Staff 
Corps * * *. 



13 

The legislative act of March 4, 1911, provides as follows: 

Division of Militia Affairs, Obfice of the Chief of Staff. 

For the following now authorized by section twenty of the act approved Janu- 
ary twenty-first, nineteen hundred and three, as amended by the act approved 
May twenty-seventh, nineteen hundred and eight, namely: Chief clerk, two 
thousand dollars; two clerks of class four; two clerks of class three; three 
clerks of class two; nine clerks of class one; seven clerks, at one thousand dol- 
lars each; one messenger; one assistant messenger; two laborers; two char- 
women ; in all, thirty-four thousand one hundred and sixty dollars. 

For miscellaneous expenses of the Division of Militia Affairs, including sta- 
tionery, fuel, light, furniture, telegraph and telephone service, and necessary 
printing and binding, three thousand five hundred dollars, which sum, together 
with the foregoing amount for salaries, shall be paid from the permanent appro- 
priation for militia under the provisions of section sixteen hundred and sixty- 
one, Revised Statutes, as amended, and no other or further sums shall be ex- 
pended from said appropriation for or on account of said Division of Militia 
Affairs during the fiscal year nineteen hundred and twelve. 

THE COAST ARTILLERY DIVISION. 

By General Orders, No. 169, War Department, September 8, 1910, 
amending Army regulation 298 [303, 1910] x the Office of the Chief 
of Coast Artillery was made a part of the office of the Chief of Staff. 

MEMORANDUM FOR THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 

War Department, 
Office of the Chief of Staff, 

Washington, September 8, 1910. 
In view of the assignment of the Chief of Coast Artillery to duty 
as an assistant to the Chief of Staff, and of the incorporation of the 
office of the Chief of Coast Artillery in the office of the Chief of Staff 
by Army regulation 298 [303, 1910] 2 as amended, business that orig- 
inates or is received in the Office of the Adjutant General of the 
Army and that requires reference to the Chief of Coast Artillery 
will be submitted to the Chief of Staff by The Adjutant General of 
the Armv in accordance with the provisions of Army regulation 787 
[795, 1910] . 3 
By order of the Secretary of War: 

Leonard Wood, 
Major General, Chief of Staff. 



MEMORANDUM FOR THE CHIEF OF COAST ARTILLERY. 

War Department, 
Office of the Chief of Staff, 
Washington, September 10, 1910. 

Hereafter papers originating or received in the Office of the Ad- 
jutant General, which pertain to matters over which the Chief of 
Coast Artillery has supervision, will be checked to the latter by the 
Secretary of the General Staff, who will make no record of them 

1 See p. 32. 2 See p. 38. * See p. 32. 



14 

except such as is necessary to insure his knowledge of their where- 
abouts. 

The Chief of Coast Artillery will refer such papers to bureau 
chiefs (Army regulation 298) [303, 1910] 1 for such notation, remarks, 
and recommendations as may be desired, and will then submit them 
to the Chief of Staff in person, each accompanied by a signed memo- 
randum prepared in duplicate, ordinarily in indorsement form, con- 
taining his recommendation. When the matter has been disposed of 
by the Secretary of War, the duplicate memorandum indicating such 
action will be returned by the Secretary of the General Staff to the 
Chief of Coast Artillery and will be retained by the latter as the 
record of action in the case. 

By direction of the Chief of Staff : 

Fred W. Sladen, 
Captain, General Staff Corps, Secretary. 

THE MILITARY ACADEMY 

General Orders, 1 War Department, 

No. 64. J Washington, April 26, 1905. 

The following orders of the Secretary of War are published to the 
Army for the information and guidance of all concerned : 

Wae Department, 
Washington, April 20, 1905. 
Orders : 

In conformity with the provisions of section 1331, Revised Statutes, the Chief 
of Staff is charged with the supervision of matters in the War Department 
pertaining to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. 
* ****** 

Wm. H. Taft, 

Secretary of War. 

Section 1331, Revised Statutes, reads as follows: 

The supervision and charge of the Academy shall be in the War Department, 
under such officer or officers as the Secretary of War may assign to that duty. 

MEMORANDA AND ORDERS CONCERNING DISTRIBUTION OF 

BUSINESS. 

War Department, 
Washington, December 30, 1903. 

Orders : 

The following instructions relating to the methods of business to 
be employed under the operation of the General Staff system and to 
the distribution of official business of the War Department and action 
thereon are hereby published for the information and guidance of all 
concerned : 

All business of the Army coming clearly within the scope and pur- 
view of the duties imposed by law upon the General Staff Corps and 
the Chief of Staff will be submitted by chiefs of bureaus in person or 
in writing directly to the Chief of Staff, to be acted upon by him in 
conformity to the regulations duly prescribed for that purpose by 
the President or the Secretary of War. 

The character of the business included in the foregoing description 
is indicated by the tabular statement showing the organization of the 

iSee p. 32. 



15 

General Staff Corps and the distribution of the subjects with which 
they are to deal, which is attached to the annual report of the Secre- 
tary of War for 1903 as Appendix D. 

All cases requiring the action of the Secretary of War or the As- 
sistant Secretary of War not submitted in person by the Chief of 
Staff will be forwarded direct to the chief clerk of the War Depart- 
ment for distribution and action under the orders and instructions 
of the Secretary of War or the Assistant Secretary of War. 

All other business requiring the action of the Secretary of War 
emanating from bureaus of the department will be forwarded direct 
to the chief clerk of the War Department for distribution and action 
under the orders and instructions of the Secretary of War or the 
Assistant Secretary of War, except such cases as in the judgment 
of the chief of bureau concerned are of sufficient importance to 
necessitate personal presentation by him to the Secretary of War 
or the Assistant Secretary of War. 

• * * * * * * 

Elihtt Root, 

Secretary of War, 



War Department, 
Office of the Chief of Staff, 

Washington, September 22, 190^. 
The Military Secretary: 

Please submit papers pertaining to the following subjects to Gen. 
Gillespie 1 for his action: 

Appointments, resignations, etc., officers of District of Columbia 
Militia. 

Appointments and discharges of veterinarians. 

Examinations for promotion. 

Examinations generally, including those for appointment as chap- 
lain, veterinarian; enlisted men and civilians for appointment as 
second lieutenant ; officers for transfer to the Ordnance Department, 
Signal Corps, etc. 

Details at service schools, and special questions presented by the 
schools. 

Details at, and general questions relating to, civil colleges. 

Questions of rank and precedence. 

Leaves of absence, commissioned officers. 

Admission to the several general hospitals. 

Questions of commutation of quarters in special cases. 

Boards of survey. 

Artillery, engineer, ordnance, and fortification questions. 

Purchase of land for fortification purposes. 

Matters relating to the sale of Government stores to civilians. 

Inspection reports. 

Privileges on military reservations. 

Chaffee, 
Lieutenant General, Chief of Staff. 

(Note. — See following memorandum of June 19, 1905.) 

* Assistant to the Chief of Staff. 



16 

War Department, 
Office of the Chief of Staff, 

Washington, June 19, 1905. 

MEMORANDUM FOE THE MILITARY SECRETARY. 

In the future all business from The Military Secretary's Office re- 
quiring action by the Chief of Staff will be presented to the Chief 
of Staff or the Assistant Chief of Staff by an officer of your depart- 
ment, who will receive instructions for disposition of the business in 
accordance with the usual custom of your office, or as you may direct 
if any change is necessary : The officers bringing the papers to the 
Chief of Staff should thoroughly familiarize themselves with the 
contents, to enable them to make a correct and brief verbal statement 
of same in each case. 

Papers reaching the Chief of Staff otherwise than as above indi- 
cated will be handled as heretofore by the Secretary of the General 
Staff. 

The orders of September 22, 1904, as to business to be submitted to 
the Assistant Chief of Staff, copy herewith, will remain in force; but 
this distribution is one of convenience merely, and the action of the 
Assistant Chief of Staff on all business is to be accepted as the action 
of the Chief of Staff, as it may frequently happen that the Chief of 
Staff will direct that other matters than those specified be presented 
to the Assistant Chief of Staff. For office discrimination as to .source 
of action, and for convenience should the subject of the paper come 
up again, the officer presenting the paper will note informally upon 
it, or by memorandum, whether he received his instructions from the 
Chief of Staff or the Assistant Chief of Staff. 

By order of the Secretary of War : 

Chaffee, 
Lieutenant General, Chief of Staff. 



War Department, 
Washington, April 14, 1906. 

Orders: 

All business arising in the \rmy which is referred to The Military 
Secretary for the action of superior authority, and which does not 
come within the jurisdiction of chiefs of bureaus, and all business 
emanating from the bureaus of the department requiring the action 
of higher authority, will be submitted to the Chief of Staff for his 
consideration. 

The Assistant Secretary of War is vested with authority to decide 
all cases which do not involve questions of policy, the establishment 
or reversal of precedents, or matters of special or extraordinary im- 
portance. Matters coming within these exceptional classes will be 
submitted by the Chief of Staff to the Secretary of War direct. All 
other matters will be submitted by the Chief of Staff to the Assistant 
Secretary of War. Should the Assistant Secretary of War think that 
the questions submitted to him by the Chief of Staff come within the 
exceptional classes, he will submit them to the Secretary. The Chief 
of Staff will indorse upon every paper coming to him his recommen- 



17 

dations, views, or remarks, and transmit the same to the Secretary of 
War or to the Assistant Secretary of War, as the above rules require. 
The submission of matters to the Secretary by the Chief of Stall' will 
be in person. Before presentation to either the Secretary or the 
Assistant Secretary the cases should be completed by obtaining the 
necessary recommendation, reports, or information from the bureaus 
of the department or the military authorities outside of the depart- 
ment, and to this end the Chief or Staff is authorized to call therefor 
" by order of the Secretary of War." 

Business which reaches the Secretary's office, or that of the Assist- 
ant Secretary, and is acted upon through the channels above de- 
scribed, will be returned to the Chief of Staff, who will issue such 
orders through the Military Secretary as may be required " By order 
of the Secretary of War." The Chief of Staff is only empowered to 
issue orders in his own name or by his own direction to the General 
Staff Corps. 

These requirements should be clearly understood to relate to mili- 
tary business, and are not in any way an abrogation of the following 
direction in War Department Orders of November 7, 1905, viz : . 

Matters of a purely civil nature will be referred by chiefs of bureaus direct 
to the Secretary of War unless otherwise required by their subject matter. 

All orders, regulations, and instructions contrary hereto are hereby 
revoked. 

War. H. Taft, 

Secretary of War. 

War DEPARTarENT, 
Office of the Chief of Staff, 

Washington, June 27, 1908. 

MEMORANDUM. 

I. The following organization and distribution of business of the 
War Department General Staff is announced and will be in force 
until further orders: 

FIRST SECTION. 

Organization, administration, and distribution of the military 
forces; details and assignments; examinations for the appointment 
and promotion of officers ; administrative matters pertaining to field 
maneuvers and to combined exercises of the Army and Navy; disci- 
pline and training; drill and firing regulations of Infantry, Cav- 
alry, and Field Artillery, mobile armament and equipment; sub- 
sistence and clothing; location, design, and construction of posts, 
camps, hospitals, and quarters; water supply; sanitation, and all 
related matters; special military rewards; estimates for support of 
the Army. 

SECOND SECTION. 

Military information; collection, arrangement, and publication of 
historical, statistical, and geographical information; War Depart- 
ment library; system of war maps, American and foreign; general 
information regarding foreign armies and fortresses; preparation 

20406° — 12 3 



18 

from official records of analytical and critical histories of important 
campaigns. 

Military attaches. 

Photographic gallery. 

Preparation of nontechnical manuals. 

Issue of military publications, maps, and documents. 

Collation and discussion of all obtainable data relating to stra- 
tegical, tactical, and logistic features of future military operations, 
and formation of complete working plans for passing from a state 
of peace to a state of war under such conditions as can be foreseen 
or may be assumed. 

Direction and coordination of military education in the Army, 
the Militia, and in civil schools and colleges at which officers of the 
Army are detailed. 

Plans for field maneuvers. 

Permanent fortifications. 

Submarine defense. 

Field engineering. 

Signaling, technical manuals, and logistics. 

Military resources of the country. 

II. Business of the following classes to be referred to the section 
having jurisdiction of the subject matter, in conference with the 
Chief of Artillery, in all matters pertaining to Seacoast Artillery : 

Combined exercises of the Army and Navy. 

Allowances of all items of equipment, armament, and supplies for 
the military service. 

Determination of types, designs, and specifications for such as are 
required to be standardized. 
. Regulations and orders. 

Proposed legislation to be presented to Congress or legislation 
pending in Congress referred to War Department for report. 

By direction of the Chief of Staff: 

Fred W. Sladen, 
Captain, General Staff Corps, Secreta?y. 



War Department, 
Office of the Chief of Staff, 
Washington, September 26, 1910. 

MEMORANDUM. 

The following organization and distribution of business of the 
War Department General Staff is announced: 

I. MOBILE ARMY DIVISION. 1 

All matters pertaining to personnel and materiel of the mobile 
forces, and such other subjects as are not otherwise assigned. 2 

1 Formerly First Section. 

8 See Office of Chief of Staff memoranda, Mar. 29 and Apr. 1, 1911. 



19 

WAR COLLEGE DIVISION. 1 

(a) Collection and distribution of military information; War 
Department library; preparation of nontechnical manuals; direc- 
tion and coordination of military education; plans for field maneu- 
vers; collation and discussion of all obtainable data relating to 
strategical, tactical, and logistic features of future military opera- 
tions and formation of complete working plans for passing from 
state of peace to state of war. 

(6) The Army War College. 

Note. — Also system of war maps, American and foreign, military 
attaches, military publications, photograph gallery, preparation from 
official registers, and analytical histories of important campaigns. 

COAST ARTILLERY DIVISION. 2 

All matters pertaining to the personnel and materiel of the Coast 
Artillery forces. 

II. DIVISION OF MILITIA AFFAIRS.* 

All matters pertaining to the Organized Militia. 

III. Papers requiring the action of the Chief of Staff will be 
checked to the chiefs of the above-mentioned divisions by the secre- 
tary, General Staff, and all routine or unimportant cases will be 
returned to him for submission to the Chief of Staff. Important 
cases will be submitted in person by chiefs of division. 

By direction of the Chief of Staff. 

Fred W. Sladen, 
Captain, General Staff Corps, Secretary. 



MEMORANDA AND ORDERS RELATIVE TO HANDLING BUSINESS. 

War Department, 

Office of the Chief of Staff, 

Washington, June 30, 1905. 

MEMORANDUM FOR THE MILITARY SECRETARY. 

When approved reports of the divisions or committees of the Gen- 
eral Staff are sent to The Military Secretary for action as indicated, 
the originals or copies of such reports will not, unless specifically 
directed, be sent out of The Military Secretary's Office, but the sub- 
stance of the report only will be sent. 

Chaffee, 
Lieutenant General, Chief of Staff. 

1 Formerly Second Section. 

2 See Army Regulation 303, 1910. 

* See Division Militia Affairs, p. 11. 



20 

War Department, 
Office of the Chief of Staff, 

Washington, May 18, 1906. 

MEMORANDUM. 

1. Typewriter paper, foolscap size, will hereafter be used for re- 
ports and appended memoranda under the provisions of memoran- 
dum from this office dated May 2, 1906. (See memorandum. Aug. 
28, 1906, below.) 

2. Drafts of Instructions to Chiefs of Bureau will advise action, 
using the words " in substance " or " in effect," as follows, etc. 

By order of the Chief of Staff. 

Robert E. L. Michie, 
Captain, General Staff, Secretary. 



War Department, 

Washington, July 20, 1906. 

MEMORANDUM FOR THE CHIEF OF STAFF. 

In submitting questions for the decision of the Secretary of War, 
where the communication to be acted upon accompanies the recom- 
mendation of the Chief of Staff it is not necessary to make a complete 
copy of the communication in question, as it involves an amount of 
clerical labor which can be dispensed with without detriment to the 
service. 

Robert Shaw Oliver, 

Acting Secretary of War. 



War Department, 
Office of the Chief of Staff, 

Washington, August 28, 1906. 



MEMORANDUM. 



Hereafter report on all matters referred to the several divisions, 
special committees, or officers of the War Department General Staff 
will be submitted in duplicate as a memorandum addressed either 
to the Secretary, Assistant Secretary, or Acting Secretary of War, 
as required by the provisions of War Department orders of April 14, 
1906. This memorandum will give a clear presentation of the subject 
as briefly as practicable, citing precedents, if any, and will conclude 
with a recommendation according with the views of the party making 
the report and embodying the substance of the instructions to be 
issued in the premises. The memorandum will be prepared for the 
signature of the Chief of Staff. Whenever letters for the signature 
of the Secretary of War. Assistant Secretary of War, or Chief of 
Staff, or bills for new legislation are necessary to carry into effect 
the recommendations submitted, proper drafts will be appended to 



21 

the report. In the upper right-hand corner of the duplicate memo- 
randum will be noted the initials of the officer making the report, 
the division from which submitted, and the signed initials of the chief 
of division. 

When the original memorandum lias been acted on by the Sec- 
retary of War or Assistant Secretary of War it will, accompanied 
by all original papers furnished in connection therewith, be trans- 
mitted to The Military Secretary or other proper chief of bureau for 
action, the duplicate being filed in the office of the Chief of Staff. 

By order of the Chief "of Staff : 

Robert E. L. Michie, 
Captain, General Staff, Secretary. 



War Department. 

MEMORANDUM FOR CHIEFS OF BUREAUS OF THE WAR DEPARTMENT. 

Whenever a division or committee of the War Department General 
Staff has under consideration a question pertaining to a staff bureau, 
the chief of such bureau shall be consulted unless his views are given 
in the papers that are under consideration. If such views are given 
and action adverse thereto is considered advisable, the chief of bureau 
shall be notified to that effect and, should he so desire, shall have a 
hearing in person or thyough a representative to be designated by 
him, and the report shall show whether he concurs in the action as 
finally recommended to be taken. The fact that a chief of bureau 
has been consulted in the consideration of any particular matter 
reported on shall be noted in the report. 

Robert Shaw Oliver, 

Acting Secretary of War. 

November 3, 1906. 



War Department, 
Office of the Chief of Staff, 

Washington, March 1.!,. 1907. 



MEMORANDUM. 



1. The Chief of Staff directs that when matters are under con- 
sideration in the several divisions of the General Staff which in any 
way affect the staff corps or departments or involve their action, the 
chief of the corps or department concerned be consulted before the 
report of the division is made. The last sentence of such a report 
will in every case record the fact of this consultation and concurrence 
or nonconeurrence of the chief or chiefs in question, and when there 
is divergence in the recommendations made by a division of the 
General Staff from the views held by the chief or chiefs of the staff 
corps or departments involved, it is desired that this fact be noted 
and that the views of the latter be clearly stated in the report. 

2. Whenever recommendations submitted by a chief of a staff corps 
or department are reported upon, the last sentence of the report will 



22 

likewise record the fact of consultation and concurrence or noncon- 
currence of this chief in any modification which may be recom- 
mended, even though this modification may be only for the sake of 
brevity or clearness of diction. 

3. Whenever there is a nonconcurrence on the part of a division of 
the General Staff with any bureau chief, the Chief of Staff desires 
the Assistant to the Chief of Staff, accompanied by the chief of this 
division, to visit and personally confer with the bureau chief or 
chiefs concerned, for the purpose of endeavoring to effect some com- 
promise of views upon which all can agree, and no report where it is 
impossible to effect an agreement will be transmitted to the Secretary 
of War or Assistant Secretary of War until it has been submitted 
to the Chief of Staff. 

By direction of the Chief of Staff : 

Robert E. L. Michie, 
Captain, General Staff, Secretary. 



War Department, 
Office or the Chief of Staff, 

January 27, 1908. 

The Senate has passed the folloAving resolution: 

I! :< solved, That no communications from heads of departments, commissioners, 
chiefs of bureaus, or other executive officers, except when authorized or re- 
quired by law, or when made in response to a resolution of the Senate, will be 
received by the Senate unless such communications shall be transmitted to the 
Senate by the President. 

Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be communicated by the Secretary 
of the Senate to the President and House of Representatives. 

MEMORANDUM. 

First. In matters of considerable importance, especially those 
ready for submission at the opening of the sessions of Congress, the 
Secretary of War desires that memoranda be prepared embodying 
full explanation and presentation of all cases, together with letters 
of transmittal, for his signature, addressed to the President, but not 
accompanied by any drafts of proposed bills. Even in such cases, 
he desires that copies of memoranda and letters to the President be 
prepared, accompanied by a draft of legislation desired, and letters 
of transmittal for him to sign addressed to the chairman of the 
military committees of the Senate and House, respectively, but not 
to be transmitted until after the President is known to have com- 
municated the originals to the Senate and House. In these cases all 
memoranda should be for the President, to be signed by the Secretary 
of War. 

Second. In unimportant matters he prefers they be presented in 
memoranda for the Secretary of War, signed by the Chief of Staff, 
accompanied by a draft of legislation necessary and by letters of 
transmittal addressed to the chairman of the military committees 
of the Senate and House, respectively, for the signature of the 
Secretary of War. 



23 

Third. He does not wish any memoranda or letters prepared for 
his signature addressed to the President of the Senate or the Speaker 
of the House of Representatives. 
By order of the Secretary of War : 

J. Franklin Bell, 
Major General, Chief of Staff. 
R. S. O. 

W. M. Wright, 
Captain, General Staff Corps, Secretary. 



War Department, 
Office of the Chief of Staff, 

July 11, 1907. 

MEMORANDUM. 

In order to avoid the return of papers for an expression of the 
wishes of the Secretary of War, which has recently happened in sev- 
eral cases, it is desired hereafter that the several divisions of the 
General Staff should transmit official communications addressed to 
the various Government departments or branches thereof through the 
office of the Chief of Staff. 

By direction of the Acting Chief of Staff: 

Robert E. L. Miche, 
Captain, General Staff, Secretary. 



War Department, 
Office of the Chief of Staff, 

March S, 1908. 

MEMORANDUM. 

By direction of the Chief of Staff the following method of pre- 
paring memoranda will hereafter be observed: 

I. Memoranda will be prepared for the Secretary of the General 
Staff Corps— 

(a) When object is to furnish information simply for the Chief 
of Staff or the assistant to the Chief of Staff. 

(b) When object is to recommend reference to some bureau of the 
War Department or to some officer or board of officers in the Army 
at large for investigation and report or for explanation. 

(c) In a case where such reference is purely routine and no ques- 
tion of advisability of such reference is involved, the memorandum 
will be " for The Adjutant General," and will be prepared for sig- 
nature by the Chief of Staff or assistant to the Chief of Staff. 

II. Memoranda will be prepared for the Secretary of War 1 and 
for the signature of the Chief of Staff — 

(a) Where large questions of policj^ are involved. 

(b) Where bills have been referred from Congress for remark or 
with request for information. 

1 In accordance with verbal instructions all memoranda for Secretary's office are pre- 
pared for the " Secretary of War." 



24 

(c) Where direction to prepare memorandum emanates from the 
Chief of Staff and the subject for such memorandum is one where 
the decision rests with authority higher than the Chief of Staff. 

III. In all other cases memoranda will be prepared for the Assist- 
ant Secretary of War 1 and for the signature of the Assistant to the 
Chief of Staff. 

W. M. Wright, 
Captain. General Staff Corps, Secretary. 



War Department. 
Washington, June 11, 1908. 



MEMORANDUM FOR THE CHIEF OF STAFF. 



Hereafter during my temporary absence when the Assistant Secre- 
tary of War is also absent, you are authorized to issue orders in all 
routine ordinary cases and in cases of emergency " by order of the 
Secretary of War." In important matters requiring my action, you 
will either communicate with me or postpone the issuance of orders 
until my return. 

Wm. H. Taft, 

Secretary of War. 



[OfiieialJ 

War Department, June 21, 1909. 

MEMORANDUM FROM THE SECRETARY OF WAR. 

In order that there may be in the department a record of authen- 
ticity the Secretary of War directs that hereafter all papers or docu- 
ments presented to him for signature shall either be initialed by the 
person responsible therefor, or accompanied by a signed communi- 
cation identifying them, provided that in cases where carbon copies 
are made at the time of writing the carbon copj*- shall be initialed , 
instead of the original, and shall accompany the communication. 

By order of the Secretary of War. 

John C. Scofield, 
Assistant and Chief Clerk. 



War Department, 
Office of the Chief of Staff, 

Washington, February 11, 1911. 

MEMORADUM. 

In connection with the preparation of General Staff memorandums, 
the Chief of Staff directs me to invite attention to the following rules 
in the interest of simplicity and clearness: 

1. All long or complex memorandums made for the Chief of Staff 
or the Secretary of War should be headed by the word " Subject " 
and a brief of the subject matter. 

2. Memorandums should be clear, concise, and uninvolved. In 
many cases numbered paragraphs will conduce to simplicity of 
understanding. 

1 Sc j c footnote, p. 23. 



25 

3. It is usually unnecessary to scatter recommendations through- 
out the body of a memorandum. In any event, a summary of recom- 
mendations should close the memorandum, either distinctly separated 
from the explanatory discussion or headed by the word " Recom- 
mendations." 

4. In many simple cases involving the preparation of a letter for 
the signature of the Secretary of War an accompanying memo- 
randum is unnecessary — the letter being self-explanatory of the 
reasons for its preparation. 

Compliance with the foregoing rules is important to save time and 
labor to those required to scrutinize the subject matter of memo- 
randums; and when such scrutiny is dispensed with to obviate the 
necessity for hunting through the body of a memorandum for specific 
recommendations. 

C. D. Rhodes, 
Captain, General Staff Corps, Acting Secretary. 



General Orders, 1 War Department, 

No. 68. J Washington, May 26,1911. 

The following compilation and condensation of existing law, regu- 
lations, and orders relating to the General Staff Corps is published 
to the Army for the information and guidance of all concerned : 

CHIEF OF STAFF. 

1. The Chief of Staff will act as the military adviser to the Secre- 
tary of War, and will keep him informed on all military matters 
relating to the Regular Army, and also on all such relating to the 
militia as are within the purview of the W T ar Department. The 
Chief of Staff reports to the Secretary of War, receives from him the 
directions and orders given in behalf of the President, and gives 
effect thereto in the manner hereinafter provided. 

Exceptions to this ordinary course of administration may, how- 
ever, be made at any time if the President sees fit to call upon the 
Chief of Staff to give information or advice, or receive instructions, 
directly. 

2. He will issue, through The Adjutant General of the Army, all 
orders and instructions of the Secretary of War affecting the Regular 
Army and the Organized Militia when called into the service of the 
United States; and through the Chief of the Division of Militia 
Affairs all those affecting the Organized Militia not in the service of 
the United States. 

3. He will, under the direction of the Secretary of War, supervise 
all staff departments and corps, all troops of the line and staff, and 
all other matters pertaining to the military establishment of the 
Regular Army, and all matters relating to the militia, arising in the 
execution of acts of Congress and Executive regulations made in 
pursuance thereof, and will perform such other military duties as 
may be assigned to him by the President. In the performance of 
these duties the Chief of Staff will, under authority of the Secretary 
of War, call for information, make investigations, issue instructions, 
and exercise all other functions necessary to secure proper harmony 



26 

and efficiency of action upon the part of those under his supervision. 
The supervisory power vested by statute in the Chief of Staff covers 
primarily duties pertaining to the command, discipline, training, and 
recruitment of the Army, military operations, distribution of troops, 
inspections, armaments, fortifications, military education and instruc- 
tion, including the Military Academy and all service schools, and 
kindred matters, but includes also in an advisory capacit}'' such duties 
connected with fiscal administration and supply as are committed to 
him by the Secretary of War. All proposed legal enactments affect- 
ing the Army and estimates for appropriations for its support will 
be submitted to the Chief of Staff for the consideration of the Secre- 
tary of War. In order that the Chief of Staff may effectively 
exercise the coordinating and supervisory authority vested in him 
by statute, the annual reports of division and department com- 
manders and bureau chiefs, as well as the annual reports of the 
Superintendent of the Military Academy, the service schools, and 
other subordinate commanders, will be submitted to him for the 
consideration of the Secretary of War prior to publication. 
i For purposes of administration the office of the Chief of Staff will 
» constitute a supervising military bureau of the War Department. 

4. In case of absence or disability of the Chief of Staff, the senior 
assistant to the Chief of Staff present for duty will act as chief. 

5. The detail of a Chief of Staff will in every case cease, unless 
sooner terminated, on the day following the expiration of the term 
of service of the President by whom the detail was made; and if at 
any time the Chief of Staff considers that he can no longer sustain 
toward the President and the Secretary of War a relation of absolute 
confidence and personal accord and sympathy he will apply to be 
relieved. 

THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF STAFF. 

6. The Chief of Staff is authorized a secretary, to be selected from 
the General Staff Corps, and will arrange his office in four divisions, 
as follows: 

(a) The Mobile Army Division. 

(b) The Coast Artillery Division. 

(c) The Division of Militia Affairs. 

(d) The War College Division. 

7. Two general officers of the General Staff, detailed by the Presi- 
dent from the general officers of the Army, and the Chief of Coast 
Artillery and the Chief of the Division of Militia Affairs, who shall 
be a general officer, will be designated as assistants to the Chief of 
Staff, and will be placed in charge of the Mobile Army Division, the 
War College Division, the Coast Artillery Division, and the Division 
of Militia Affairs, respectively. The Chief of the Coast Artillery 
Division and the Chief of the Division of Militia Affars shall be 
additional members of the General Staff. 

8. 1 All communications relating to business arising in the Army, 
or concerning the Army, which are referred to the Adjutant General 

1 The requirements of this paragraph do not abrogate War Department orders of 
November 7, 1905 : 

'• Matters of a purely civil nature will be referred by chiefs of bureaus direct to the 
Secretary of War, unless otherwise required by their subject-matter." See orders, Sec- 
retary of War, Apr. 14, 1906, p. 16. 



27 

for the action of superior authority, and which do not come within 
the jurisdiction of chiefs of bureaus, and all communications relating 
to business concerning the Army emanating from the bureaus of the 
War Department requiring the action of higher authority, will be 
submitted to the Chief of Staff. 

9. All papers on important matters, such as those affecting military 
policy or relating to the expenditure of funds, referred to an assistant 
to the Chief of Staff for remark and recommendation, will be pre- 
sented by him in person to the Chief of Staff with a memorandum in 
each case giving his views and recommendations thereon. All papers 
on ordinary routine matters so referred will be returned directly to 
the secretary of the Chief of Staff with a like memorandum giving 
the views and recommendations of the assistant concerned. 

10. 1 Whenever, in the consideration of a matter referred to him, 
an assistant to the Chief of Staff finds it necessary or advisable, be- 
fore submitting his recommendation thereon, to cause its reference or 
return to the Adjutant General of the Army, or to any bureau chief, 
or to a military authority within or without the War Department, 
for information or for any intermediate action whatever, the assistant 
to the Chief of Staff, acting for him and .by his authority, is author- 
ized to indicate by memorandum to the Adjutant General of the 
Army, or to the bureau chief or military authority, the appropriate 
action desired, and the action of the assistant to the Chief of Staff 
on all business of this character will be accepted as the action of the 
Chief of Staff. 

2 11. All papers involving questions of general policy, the estab- 
lishment or reversal of precedents, or matters of special or extra- 
ordinary importance will be submitted by the Chief of Staff in person 
to the Secretary of War; such papers as the Secretary of War may 
direct will be submitted by the Chief of Staff to the Assistant Secre- 
tary of War. On every paper submitted by the Chief of Staff he 
will indorse his views and recommendations, and wherever necessary 
each case will also show the recommendations, reports, or informa- 
tion from the bureaus of the War Department or the military au- 
thorities outside the department. Routine business and papers will 
be acted on by the Chief of Staff in the name of the Secretary of War, 
as well as such other papers and business as the Secretary of War 
may indicate. The Chief of Staff may authorize his assistants to act 
for him in unimportant routine cases. 

12. The assistants to the Chief of Staff in charge of the Mobile 
Army Division, the Coast Artillery Division, and the Division of 
Militia Affairs will keep the Chief of Staff advised at all times of 
the efficiency of the personnel and materiel of the Mobile Army, the 
Coast Artillery, and the militia, respectively, and they will, as cir- 
cumstances require, make such recommendations in reference thereto 
as will in their judgment te*id to promote efficiency. In like manner 
the assistant in charge of the War College Division will keep the 
Chief of Staff advised of the work of his division and make recom- 
mendations to promote its efficiency. 

1 Correspondence from divisions to a military authority, without the War Department, 
to be sent through the Adjutant General of the Army (Mem. of June 8, 1911). See 
also memorandums of June 9 and 14, 1911, pp. 30 and 31. 

2 This paragraph is subject to the provisions of the order of the Secretary of War of 
Apr. 14, 1908, p. 16. See also Memos. Office of Chief of Staff, June 9 and 14, 1911, pp. 
30 and 31. 



28 

13. The Chief of Staff and the assistants to the Chief of Staff may 
correspond or confer directly with the chiefs of bureaus of the War 
Department and with each other on matters referred to them for 
remark and recommendation. They may correspond directly with 
the commandants of the service schools and with the presidents of the 
technical boards of the branches of service pertaining to their divi- 
sions on subjects of a purely technical character which do not involve 
questions of command, discipline, or administration and do not relate 
to the status or interests of individuals. The Chief of the Division 
of Militia Affairs may also in like manner correspond directly with 
the officials of the various States, Territories, and the District of 
Columbia, and also with officers of the regular service detailed for 
duty therewith under section 20 of the act approved January 21, 
1903, as amended by the act approved May 27, 1908, or those who 
may be detailed under the provisions of the act of Congress ap- 
proved March 3, 1911, on matters pertaining to the Organized 
Militia not in the service of the United States. 

14. The assistants to the Chief of Staff are charged generally with 
the recommending to the Chief of Staff of officers in the different 
branches of the Army under their supervision for special duty and 
assignment to organizations and stations. They will also make 
recommendations to the Chief of Staff as to the instruction of officers 
and enlisted men in those branches, and as to examinations and trans- 
fer of officers to them and for promotion therein; and will recom- 
mend to the Chief of Staff such examinations and such courses and 
methods of instruction in the service schools and the War College 
and elsewhere under their respective supervision as they shall deem 
requisite to insure a thoroughly trained and educated force. To this 
end they are authorized, with the approval of the Chief of Staff, to 
issue directly to the officers in branches under their supervision 
bulletins and circulars giving information on current military mat- 
ters of a purely technical character which do not involve questions of 
command, discipline, or administration, and do not relate to the 
status or interests of individuals. 

15. The offices of the assistants to the Chief of Staff, except those 
of the assistants in charge of the War College Division and the 
Division of Militia Affairs, will not be offices of record except of cor- 
respondence authorized by paragraph 12; all other records pertaining 
to the duties of these assistants will be kept in the office of The Ad- 
jutant General of the Army. The War College Division will be the 
office of record for all matters pertaining solely to the work of that 
division; the Division of Militia Affairs will be the office of record of 
the War Department for all matters pertaining solely to the organ- 
ized militia not in the service of the United States; the office of The 
Adjutant General of the Army will be the office of record for all 
other matters relating to the work of these divisions. All of the 
records referred to above, which are kept in the office of The Ad- 
jutant General of the Army will be available whenever needed for 
the official use of the Chief of Staff or any assistant to the Chief of 
Staff. 

GENERAL STAFF CORPS. 

16. The duties of the General Staff Corps, under direction of the 
Chief of Staff, shall be to prepare plans for the national defense, and 
for the mobilization of the military forces in time of war ; to investi- 



29 

gate and report upon all questions affecting the efficiency of the Army 
and its state of preparation for military operations; to render pro- 
fessional aid and assistance to the Secretary of War and to general 
officers and other superior commanders; to act as their agents in 
informing and coordinating the action of all the different officers 
who are by law under the supervision of the Chief of Staff; and to 
perform such other military duties not otherwise assigned by law as 
may be from time to time prescribed by the President. While serving 
in the General Staff Corps officers may be assigned to duty by the 
Secretary of War with any branch of the Army. 

17. The general officers authorized by law for the General Staff 
Corps, except the Chief of Coast Artillery, are detailed by the Presi- 
dent from the general officers of the Army. The Chief of the Division 
of Militia Affairs is also so detailed. All details to vacancies in the 
General Staff Corps in grades other than those of general officers will 
be filled on the recommendation of a board of five general officers, not 
more than two of whom shall be members of the General Staff Corps, 
convened by the Secretary of War at such times as may be necessary. 
The board will be sworn to recommend officers solely on their profes- 
sional efficiency, on their probable aptitude, and fitness for General 
Staff service, and will select such number of officers of the proper 
grades to fill existing or expected vacancies as the Secretary of War 
may direct. Officers may be redetailed, subject to the conditions of 
paragraph 18, when eligible, by the Chief of Staff on the approval 
of the Secretary of War. 

18. Officers will be detailed in the General Staff Corps for a period 
of four years unless sooner relieved. Upon being relieved from such 
duty they will return to the branch of the Army in which they hold 
permanent commissions, and except in case of emergency or in time 
of war will not be eligible to further detail in the General Staff Corps 
until they have served for two years in the branch of the Army to 
which they belong. This ineligibility will not, however, apply to 
any officer who may have been relieved prior to the expiration of his 
four years' detail with the corps, but such officer will become in- 
eligible as soon as he shall have completed a total of four years with 
the corps, and will not be again eligible until after two years' service 
in the branch of the Army to which he belongs. The provisions of 
this paragraph will apply to all officers of the General Staff Corps. 

19. Officers of the General Staff Corp* other than the Chief of 
Staff will be assigned to duty in the office of the Chief of Staff and 
also to duty with other general officers and superior commanders. 
Those on duty in the office of the Chief of Staff will perform such 
duties under the law as he may direct; those assigned to duty with 
other general officers and superior commanders will serve under the 
immediate orders of such commanders and assist them in the per- 
formance of their military duties. 

20. The senior officer of the General Staff Corps assigned to duty 
with the command of a general officer or other superior commander, 
unless otherwise directed by the Secretary of War, will be the chief 
of staff of the command. He will bear the same relation as adviser 
to the commanding general or other commanders as does the Chief 
of Staff to the Secretary of War, and will in like manner supervise 
all troops of the line and staff and all bureaus included in the com- 
mand. All General Staff officers assigned to such duty will en- 



30 

deavor in every way to assist in carrying out the general duties pre- 
scribed by law for the General Staff Corps. General Staff officers 
attached to commands in the field will keep careful journals of 
operations, from which they wil compile reports of these operations 
for the use of their immediate commanders and also for the informa- 
tion of the War Department. When a commanding general is tem- 
porarily absent from his command and his duties have not been for- 
mally assumed by the next in rank the chief of staff of the command 
will act as his representative in his absence. 
By order of the Secretary of War: 

Leonard Wood, 
Major General, Chief of Staff. 

Official: 

Henry P. McCain, 

Adjutant General. 



War Department, 
Office of the Chief of Staff, 

Washington, June 9, 1911. 

MEMORANDUM FOR THE CHIEF, MOBILE ARMY DIVISION ; THE CHIEF, COAST ARTIL- 
LERY DIVISION ; THE CHIEF, DIVISION OF MILITIA AFFAIRS J THE CHIEF, THE WAR 
COLLEGE DIVISION. 

The Chief of Staff directs that in carrying out the provisions of 
paragraph 10 and last sentence of paragraph 11, General Orders, 
No. 68, War Department, current series, the chiefs of divisions, in 
acting for the Chief of Staff, use the forms shown on accompanying 
paper. 1 
Rubber stamps will be supplied as soon as they can be made. 
Very respectfully, 

Wm. S. Graves, 
Major, General Staff Corps, Secretary. 



1 Accompanying paper. 
Approved : 



By order of the Secretary of War. 



Approved : 

By order of the Secretary of War. 



Approved : 

By order of the Secretary of War. 



Approved : 

By order of the Secretary of War. 



Major-Gcn'l., Chief of Mobile Army Division, 
For Chief of Staff. 



Brig. Gen'l., Chief of Coast Artillery Division, 
For Chief of Staff. 



Brig. Gen'l., Chief of Div. Militia Affairs. 
For Chief of Staff. 



Chief of War College Division. 
For Chief of Staff. 



31 

War Department, 
Office of the Chief of Staff, 

Washington, June 14, 1911. 

MEMORANDUM OF INSTRUCTIONS FOR ASSISTANTS TO THE CHIEF OF STAFF. 

Under the provisions of paragraph 11, General Orders, No. 68, 
War Department, the Chief of Staff authorizes the assistants to the 
Chief of Staff in charge of the Mobile Army Division, the Coast 
Artillery Division, the Division of Militia Affairs, and the War 
College Division "to act for him in unimportant cases." In carry- 
ing out these instructions the assistants to the Chief of Staff will 
sign memoranda relating to such cases as instructed in memorandum 
from this office, dated June 9, 1911, copy of which is hereto attached ; 
all other memoranda and papers requiring their official signatures 
will be signed by them, respectively, as follows : 

(a) (Rank), Chief of Mobile Army Division, 

Asst. to the Chief of Staff, 
(b) (Rank), Chief of Coast Artillery Division, 

Asst. to the Chief of Staff, 
(c) (Rank). Chief of Div. Militia Affairs, 

Asst. to the Chief of Staff, 
(d) (Rank), Chief of War College Division, 

Asst. to the Chief of Staff. 
By direction of the Chief of Staff: 

Wm. S. Grave, 
Major, General Staff Corps, Secretary. 

ARMY REGULATIONS. 

196. A territorial division commander's staff will consist of his 
authorized personal aids and one officer from each of the following 
corps and departments: General Staff Corps, Adjutant General's 
Department, Inspector General's Department, Judge Advocate Gen- 
eral's Department, Quartermaster's Department, Subsistence Depart- 
ment, Medical Department, Pay Department, Corps of Engineers, 
Ordnance Department, Signal Corps, and, in divisions embracing 
coast defenses, Coast Artillery Corps, and such additional staff 
officers as may be assigned by the War Department. The division 
commander will control matters of supply and administration within 
his command; and, in all territorial divisions correspondence with 
the War Department will be through the division commander, unless 
otherwise directed in Army Regulations and War Department orders. 

The chief paymaster will make a portion of the payments in the 
command. The duties prescribed for the inspector of small-arms 
practice will be performed by an aid or other officer of the division 
commander's staff. The Coast Artillery officer will act in an ad- 
visory capacity to the division commander with respect to matters 
pertaining to the efficiency of Coast Artillery materiel and to the 
drill, instruction, and employment of Coast Artillery troops in con- 
nection with coast defense generally. 

199. The official designation of the senior officers of the staff corps 
and departments on the staff of division or department commanders 
will be as follows: 

Of the General Staff Corps, Chief of Staff; of the Adjutant Gen- 
eral's Department, Adjutant General; of the Inspector General's De- 



32 

partment, Inspector General; of the Judge Advocate General's De- 
partment, Judge Advocate; of the Quartermaster's Department, 
Chief Quartermaster; of the Subsistence Department, Chief Com- 
missary; of the Medical Department, Chief Surgeon; of the Pay 
Department, Chief Paymaster; of the Engineer Corps, Chief Engi- 
neer Officer; of the Ordnance Department, Chief Ordnance Officer; 
of the Signal Corps, Chief Signal Officer. 

When one of the required staff officers is not assigned, or a staff 
officer is temporarily absent or disabled, the duties of his position will 
be performed by the assistant, if any, or by other members of the 
staff. 

303. 1. It shall be the duty of the Chief of Coast Artillery to keep 
the Chief of Staff advised at all times of the efficiency of the per- 
sonnel and materiel of the Coast Artillery, and he shall, as circum- 
stances require, make such recommendations in reference thereto as 
shall in his judgment tend to promote efficiency. 

2. He shall from time to time, and as frequently as conditions re- 
quire, confer directly with the chiefs of bureaus of the War Depart- 
ment and advise them of all matters relating to Coast Artillery 
materiel or personnel that pertain to their respective branches of the 
service, which the experience and observation of the Coast Artillery 
arm of the service show to be of practical importance. In like man- 
ner he may correspond directly with the commandant of the Coast 
Artillery School, and with the president of the Coast Artillery Board, 
on Coast Artillery questions of a purely technical character which 
do not involve matters of command, discipline, or administration, 
and do not relate to the status or interests of individuals. 

3. He shall make recommendations as to the instruction of Coast 
Artillery officers and men, and as to examinations for appointment 
and transfer of officers to the Coast Artillery arm and for promotion 
therein, and shall recommend such examinations and such courses 
and methods of instruction in the Coast Artillery School and else- 
where as he shall deem requisite to secure a thoroughly trained and 
educated force ; to this end he is authorized to issue directly to Coast 
Artillery officers bulletins and circulars of information on current 
Coast Artillery matters of a purely technical character which do not 
involve matters of command, discipline, or administration and do 
not relate to the status or interests of individuals. 

4. He is charged generally with the recommending of officers of 
Coast Artillery for special duty and assignment to Coast Artillery 
organizations and stations, 

5. He shall be a member of the Board of Ordnance and Fortifica- 
tion and is by law a member of the General Staff Corps. 

6. The office of the Chief of Coast Artillery will form a part of the 
office of the Chief of Staff and will not be an office of record except 
of correspondence authorized by section 2 of this paragraph. All 
other records pertaining to the performance of the duties of the Chief 
of Coast Artillery will be kept in the office of The Adjutant General 
of the Army, to whom all communications from the Coast Artillery 
Corps, intended for the War Department, except such communica- 
tions as may be addressed directly to the Chief of Coast Artillery 
under section 2 of this paragraph, shall be addressed as required by 
paragraph 795. 



33 

7. Nothing in these regulations shall be deemed to relieve the com- 
manders of the Philippines Division and the several military depart- 
ments of the duties of inspection and command, or of the responsibility 
for the condition and efficiency of the materiel and personnel of the 
Coast Artillery in the division and the several departments as now 
provided by regulations. 

Article LIX. 1 

GENERAL STAEF CORPS. 

763. The General Staff Corps, created in conformity to the act of 
Congress approved February 14, 1903, is composed of officers of the 
grades and number specified in said act, detailed for service in said 
corps for a period of four years unless sooner relieved, under rules of 
selection prescribed by the President. Upon being relieved from duty 
in the General Staff Corps officers return to the branch of the Army 
in which they hold permanent commissions, and except in case of 
emergency or in time of Avar are not eligible to further detail therein 
until they have served for two years with the branch of the Army in 
which commissioned. This ineligibility does not apply to any officer 
who has been relieved prior to the expiration of four years' duty with 
the corps; but such officer will become ineligible as soon as he shall 
have completed a total of four years of said duty. While serving in 
the General Staff Corps officers may be temporarily assigned to duty 
with any branch of the Army. 

764. The law establishes the General Staff Corps as a separate and 
distinct staff organization, the chief of which has supervision, under 
superior authority, over all branches of the military service, line and 
staff, except such as are exempted therefrom by law or regulations, 
with a view to their coordination and harmonious cooperation in the 
execution of authorized military policies. 

765. The General Staff Corps, under the direction of the Chief of 
Staff, is charged with the duty of investigating and reporting upon 
all questions affecting the efficiency of the Army and its state of prepa- 
ration for military operations, and to this end considers and reports 
upon all questions relating to organization, distribution, equipment, 
armament, and training of the military forces (Regulars, volunteers, 
and militia), proposed legislative enactments and general and special 
regulations affecting the Army, transportation, communications, 
quarters, and supplies; prepares projects for maneuvers; revises 
estimates for appropriations for the support of the Army and advises 
as to disbursement of such appropriations; exercises supervision over 
inspections, military education and instructon, examinations for the 
appointment and promotion of officers, efficiency records, details and 
assignments, and all orders and instructions originating in the course 
of administration in any branch of the service which have relation to 
the efficiency of the military forces; prepares important orders and 
correspondence embodying the orders and instructions of the Presi- 
dent and Secretary of War to the Army; reviews the reports of 
examining and retiring boards, and acts upon such other matters as 
the Secretary of War may determine. 

1 This article is subject to the provisions of the order of the Secretary of War of Apr 
14, 1906, p. 16. 



34 

766. The General Staff Corps, under like direction, is further 
charged with the duty of preparing plans for the national defence 
and for the mobilization of the military forces (including the assign- 
ment to armies, corps, divisions, and other headquarters of the neces- 
sary quota of general staff and other staff officers), and incident 
thereto with the study of possible theaters of war and of strategic 
questions in general ; with the collection of military information of 
foreign countries and of our own; the preparation of plans of cam- 
paign, of reports of campaigns, battles, engagements, and expeditions, 
and of technical histories of military operations of the United States. 

767. To officers of the General Staff Corps are committed the fur- 
ther duties of rendering professional aid and assistance to the Sec- 
retary of War and to general officers and other superior commanders 
and of acting as their agents in informing, and coordinating the 
action of, all the different officers who are subject under the pro- 
visions of law to the supervision of the Chief of Staff. 

They perform such other military duties not otherwise assigned 
by law as may from time to time be prescribed by the President. 
Under the authority here conferred officers of the General Staff 
Corps are intrusted with the executive duties hereinafter indicated. 

768. Officers of the General Staff Corps assigned to duty with 
commanders of armies, corps, divisions, separate brigades, and terri- 
torial divisions are collectively denominated the General Staff serv- 
ing with troops. They serve under the immediate orders of such 
commanders; those not so assigned perforin duty under the imme- 
diate direction of the Chief of Staff and constitute the War De- 
partment General Staff. 

769. The assignment of duties to the General Staff Corps does not 
involve in any degree the impairment of the initiative and respon- 
sibility which special staff corps and departments have in the trans- 
action of current business. 

War Department General Staff. 

770. To facilitate the performance of its duties, the War Depart- 
ment General Staff will be arranged in sections, each under the 
direction of an officer of the General Staff Corps to be designated 
by the Chief of Staff. Such committees will be designated in the 
sections from time to time as may be necessary to facilitate the 
transaction of business in hand. 

771. The War Department General Staff in its several sections and 
committees stands in an advisory relation to the Chief of Staff in 
the performance of the duties herein devolved upon him. The dis- 
tribution of duties to the several sections and committees is regulated 
by the Chief of Staff. 

Chief of Staff. 

772. Under the act of February 14, 1903, the command of the Army 
of the United States rests with the constitutional Commander in 
Chief, the President. The President will place parts of the Army, 
and separate armies whenever constituted, under commanders sub- 
ordinate to his general command; and, in case of exigency seeming 
to him to require it, he may place the whole Army under a single 
commander subordinate to him ; but in time of peace and under ordi- 



35 

nary conditions the administration and control of the Army are 
effected without any second in command. 

The President's command is exercised through the Secretary of 
War and the Chief of Staff. The Secretary of War is charged with 
carrying out the policies of the President in military affairs. He 
directly represents the President and is bound always to act in con- 
formity to the President's instructions. Under the law and the de- 
cisions of the Supreme Court his acts are the President's acts and his 
directions and orders are the President's directions and orders. 

The Chief of Staff reports to the Secretary of War, acts as his 
military adviser, receives from him the directions and orders given 
in behalf of the President, and gives effect thereto in the manner 
hereinafter provided. For purposes of administration the office of 
the Chief of Staff will constitute a supervising military bureau of the 
War Department. 

Exceptions to this ordinary course of administration may, how- 
ever, be made at any time if the President sees fit to call upon the 
Chief of Staff to give information or advice, or receive instructions, 
directly. 

Wherever in these regulations action by the President is referred 
to, the action of the President through the Secretary of War is in- 
cluded; and wherever the action of the Secretary of War is referred 
to, the Secretary of War is deemed to act as the representative of 
the President and under his direction. 

The Chief of Staff is detailed by the President from officers of the 
Army at large not below the grade of brigadier general. The success- 
ful performance of the duties of the position requires what the title 
denotes — a relation of absolute confidence and personal accord and 
sympathy between the Chief of Staff and the President, and neces- 
sarily also between the Chief of Staff and the Secretary of War. For 
this reason, without any reflection whatever upon the officer detailed, 
the detail will in every case cease, unless sooner terminated, on the 
day following the expiration of the term of office of the President by 
whom the detail is made; and if at any time the Chief of Staff con- 
siders that he can no longer sustain toward the President and the 
Secretary of War the relations above described, it will be his duty to 
apply to be relieved. 

The provisions of paragraph 763 regarding the redetail of an officer 
who has not completed a total of four years' service apply to the 
Chief of Staff. 

773. The Chief of Staff is charged as limited and provided by law 
with the duty of supervising, under the direction of the Secretary of 
War, all troops of the line, the Adjutant General's, Inspector Gen- 
eral's, Judge Advocate General's, Quartermaster's, Subsistence, Medi- 
cal, Pay, and Ordnance Departments, the Corps of Engineers, and 
the Signal Corps. He performs such other military duties not other- 
wise assigned by law as may be assigned to him by the President. 

774. The supervisory power vested by statute in the Chief of Staff 
covers primarily duties pertaining to the command, discipline, train- 
ing, and recruitment of the Army, military operations, distribution 
of troops, inspections, armament, fortifications, military education 
and instruction, and kindred matters, but includes also, in an advisory 
capacity, such duties connected with fiscal administration and supply 
as are committed to him by the Secretary of War. 



36 

In respect to all duties within the scope of his supervisory power, 
and more particularly those duties enumerated in this and the fol- 
lowing paragraph, he makes and causes to be made inspections to de- 
termine defects which may exist in any matter affecting the efficiency 
of the Army and its state of preparation for war. He keeps the Sec- 
retary of War constantly informed of defects discovered, and under 
his direction issues the necessary instructions for their correction. 

775. 1 Supervisory power is conferred upon the Chief of Staff over 
all matters arising in the execution of acts of Congress and Executive 
regulations made in pursuance thereof relating to the militia. This 
supervision is especially directed to matters of organization, arma- 
ment, equipment, discipline, training, and inspections. Proposed 
legal enactments and regulations affecting the militia and estimates 
for appropriations for its support are considered by him, and his 
recommendations submitted to the Secretary of War. 

776. The Chief of Staff is charged with the duty of informing the 
Secretary of War as to the qualifications of officers as determined by 
their records, with a view to proper selection for special details, as- 
signments, and promotions, including detail to and relief from the 
General Staff Corps; also of presenting recommendations for the 
recognition of special or distinguished services. 

777. All orders and instructions emanating from the War Depart- 
ment, and all regulations affecting the Army or the status of officers 
or enlisted men therein, are issued by the Secretary of War through 
the Chief of Staff, and are communicated to troops and individuals 
in the military service through the Adjustant General of the Army. 

778. The assignment of officers of the General Staff Corps to sta- 
tions and duties is made upon the recommendation of the Chief of 
Staff. 

779. In case of absence or disability of the Chief of Staff the senior 
officer of the General Staff present for duty in Washington shall act 
as such chief unless otherwise specially directed by the Secretary of 
War. 

780. In the performance of the duties hereinbefore enumerated and 
in representation of superior authority, the Chief of Staff calls for 
information, makes investigations, issues instructions, and exercises 
all other functions necessary to secure proper harmony and efficiency 
of action upon the part of those placed under his supervision. 

The General Staff Serving with Troops. 

781. The general staff of a command consists of general staff officers 
of such number and grades as may be assigned to it on the recommen- 
dation of the Chief of Staff. 

782. The senior general staff officer on duty with a command shall, 
unless otherwise directed by the War Department, be the chief of 
staff of the command. Ordinarily he will be so assigned by the War 
Department. 

783. The duties of the chief of staff of a command are as prescribed 
for officers of the General Staff Corps in paragraphs 7G5 to 768, and 
in addition he will, under direction of the commander of the troops, 

1 Under the provisions of paragraph 775, Army Regulations, the Chief of the Division of 
Militia Affairs will report to the Chief of Staff. (General Order 141, War Dept, 1910.) 



37 

?erform all duties analogous to those devolved by paragraphs 773 to 
80 upon the Chief of Staff of the Army. The other general staff 
officers serving with troops are employed under the direction of the 
commanders thereof upon the duties prescribed for officers of the 
General Staff Corps, and they shall perform such other duties within 
the scope of general staff employment as may be directed by such 
commanders. General staff officers will not be assigned to other than 
general staff duties except by special authority of the War Depart- 

784. The two general officers authorized for the General Staff 
Corps are detailed by the President from officers of the Army at 
large not below the grade of brigadier general. All vacancies that 
may occur in the General Staff Corps in grades below that of briga- 
dier general will be filled on the recommendation of a board of five 
general officers of the line, not more than two of whom shall be mem- 
bers of the General Staff Corps, convened by the War Department at 
such times as may be necessary. The board will be sworn to recom- 
mend officers solely on their professional efficiency, and on their prob- 
able aptitude and fitness for general staff service, and will select such 
number of officers of the proper grades to fill existing or expected 
vacancies, as the War Department may direct. 

785. The Adjutant General's Department is the department ot 
records, orders, and correspondence of the Army and the militia. 

The Adjutant General is charged, under the direction of the Secre- 
tary of War, and subject to the supervision of the Chief of Staff, in 
all matters pertaining to the command, discipline, or administration 
of the existing military establishment, with the duty of recording, 
authenticating, and communicating to troops and individuals m the 
military service all orders, instructions, and regulations issued by 
the Secretary of War through the Chief of Staff ; of preparing and 
distributing commissions; of compiling and issuing the Army Reg- 
ister and the Army List and Directory ; of consolidating the general 
returns of the Army; of arranging and preserving the reports of 
officers detailed to visit encampments of militia; of preparing the 
annual returns of the militia required by law to be submitted to Con- 
gress ; of managing the recruiting service ; and of recording and issu- 
ing orders from the War Department remitting or mitigating sen- 
tences of military convicts who have been discharged from the 
military service. 

******* 
830 After every battle or engagement with the enemy, written re- 
ports thereof will be made by commanders of regiments, separate 
battalions or squadrons, companies or detachments, and by all com- 
manders of a higher grade, each in what concerns his own command, 
which reports will be forwarded, through the proper channel, to 
The Adjutant General of the Army. It shall be the especial duty oi 
all General Staff officers attached to commands in the field to keep 
careful journals of the operations, from which they will compile 
reports of said operations for their immediate commanders. 

909 Reports of prescribed inspections of troops, stations, and 
accounts of disbursing officers under the authority of department 
or division commanders will be forwarded, through military chan- 



38 

nels, to The Adjutant General of the Army and transmitted to the 
Inspector General of the Army. In case irregularities, deficiencies, 
or misconduct are reported, a commander in forwarding a report will 
state what remedies he has applied or will apply to correct them, 
adding any recommendations that he may desire to make. All other 
reports of inspections will be forwarded directly to the Inspector 
General of the Army, except when otherwise specially directed, and 
all inspection reports not confidential will be filed in his office. The 
Inspector General will submit to the Chief of Staff all reports that 
contain matters requiring correction. 

921. Inspectors will examine all property properly presented for 
condemnation. When all property presented has been destroyed, one 
inventory and inspection report will be forwarded by the inspecting 
officer, through proper channels, to the Inspector General of the 
Army and the others will be delivered to the accountable officer. In 
cases in which the inspector recommends the sale of any property, or 
its transfer to depots, he will forward all the inventories and inspec- 
tion reports to department, division, or Army corps headquarters, and 
if the inspector's action is approved by the department, division, or 
Army corps commander, two will be returned to the accountable 
officer and the other forwarded, through proper military channels, 
to The Adjutant General of the Army, to be transmitted to the 
Inspector General of the Army, and, in similar cases, when the ac- 
countable officer is not serving under the department, division, or 
Army corps commander and all the property has been destroyed, one 
copy of the inventory and inspection report will be forwarded to the 
Inspector General of the Army and two to the accountable^ officer, or 
if sale or transfer of the property is recommended, the inspecting 
officer will forward all the inventories and inspection reports to the 
Inspector General of the Army, who will forward them to the Chief 
of Staff through the chief of the bureau concerned ; one copy will be 
returned to the Inspector General and two to the accountable officer. 

936. The reports which the Judge Advocate General of the Army 
may render upon cases received by him, and which require the action 
of the President, will be transmitted to The Adjutant General of the 
Army for record and for submission to the Chief of Staff for the 
consideration of the Secretary of War and the President. After final 
action is had by superior authority in such cases, all the papers will- 
be returned to The Adjutant General of the Army, who, before pub- 
lishing the action taken, will refer the papers to the Judge Advocate 
General of the Army for further scrutiny. 

795. Except as otherwise specially authorized or required by Army 
Regulations, all official communications from officers and enlisted men 
of the Army outside of the War Department intended for the Secre- 
tary of War or for any bureau or office of the War Department will 
be in writing and addressed to The Adjutant General of the Army, 
who will submit all business, coming to him from the Army, which 
requires action in the War Department or by the President and which 
does not come within the jurisdiction of chiefs of bureaus, to the 
Chief of Staff, to be acted upon by him in conformity to the rules 
duly prescribed for that purpose by the President or the Secretary of 

War. 

Correspondence of the War Department with the Army will be 
through or by The Adjutant General of the Army. 



39 

797. Correspondence between an officer of a staff corps or depart- 
ment and the chief of the War Department bureau in which he is 
serving, which does not involve questions of administrative responsi- 
bility within the supervision of commanding officers outside that staff 
corps or department nor relate to individual interests or status of a 
military nature requiring the action of authority outside that staff 
corps or department, and which is concerned exclusively with the 
business of that staff corps or department, will pass directly. All 
business emanating from the bureaus of the War Department requir- 
ing the action of higher authority will be submitted to the Chief of 
Staff for his consideration, either orally in person, or in writing 
through The Adjutant General of the Army. In all cases the action 
of higher authority thereon will be communicated in writing by The 
Adjutant General of the Army to those concerned. Matters, however, 
of a purely civil nature will be submitted by chiefs of bureaus directly 
to the Secretary of War unless otherwise required by their subject 
matter. 

1528. When the Chief of Engineers is satisfied that any fortifica- 
tion or any of its accessories is in all respects complete, so far as the 
functions of his department are concerned, he will give notice thereof, 
in writing, to the Chief of Staff, that it may be turned over to the 
troops for use and care. Until its completion has been so announced, 
no work will be occupied by troops except by the special order of the 
War Department. 

o 



...id onua, 

MAm 



